Face ID Not Working On iPhone? The Real Solution.

David Lynch

SEPTEMBER 11, 2017

Face ID won't work on your iPhone and you don't know why. Face ID is Apple's new facial recognition software, which can be used to unlock your iPhone, make purchases, and more! This article will show you what to do when Face ID is not working on your iPhone so you can fix the problem for good.

Erase Your Saved Face ID & Set It Up Again

If something went wrong the first time you set up Face ID on your iPhone, you may not be able to use facial recognition successfully. Think of this step like forgetting a Wi-Fi network your iPhone isn't connecting to.

Reset All Settings

Many iPhone problems are caused when Settings isn't set up correctly or by corruption within individual Settings app files. Restoring the Settings app back to factory defaults doesn't fix every iPhone software problem, but it is a go-to fix for Apple technicians because it does solve a lot of problems that would be very difficult to to track down by hand.

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How Do I Reset All Settings?

Go to the Home screen.

Open the Settings app.

Tap General.

Use your finger to scroll down to Reset. It will be the last option in Settings -> General.

DFU Restore Your iPhone

A DFU restore has the potential to fix software problems by completely erasing the code which may be causing your problem. The code is rewritten as if your iPhone is brand new, so the software problem may get solved.

Think of it like a house that has cracks in the foundation. Rather than try and fix the cracks, we are building an entirely new foundation.

If you can, back up your iPhone before completing a DFU restore. Any time you do a restore, it erases everything from your iPhone. However, after the restore is completed, you restore all your backed up data back onto your iPhone.

Repair Your iPhone With Apple

Apple repairs iPhones at the Genius Bar in Apple Stores and through their online mail-in repair service. Apple repairs are high-quality, but out-of-warranty repairs can be much more expensive than third-party solutions. If you're looking to save some money you're not covered by Apple's warranty, you may want to check out our other recommendations.

How Do I Repair My iPhone With Apple?

How To Repair Your iPhone With Apple's Mail-In Service

Alternatively, call 1-800-MY-APPLE (1-800-692-7753) to set up a repair.

How To Repair Your iPhone At The Genius Bar Inside Your Local Apple Store

Visit Apple's website to make a Genius Bar appointment before you go into the store. Apple Stores are extremely busy, and if you don't have an appointment, you may have to wait for hours or end up being turned away. (Editor's note: I'm a former Apple tech and we're not exaggerating — please, do yourself a favor and make an appointment first!)

When you arrive, go to the Genius Bar to check in for your appointment.

Genius Bar appointments always include free diagnosis. If you're under warranty, many repairs can be done on the spot, but it all depends upon which parts are in stock. If you're not under warranty, the Genius will give you a quote for the cost of a repair.

Repair Your iPhone With Puls

Puls is a "we come to you" iPhone repair service that will meet you at your home, office, or Starbucks to repair your iPhone in as little as 30 minutes. Every Puls repair is backed by a lifetime warranty and their prices tend to be a lot less than Apple's.

Puls repairs broken iPhone screens, batteries, speakers, cameras, charging ports, and more. The only drawback at this point is that Puls isn't available everywhere (they're mostly in major US cities).

iPhone Face ID: Fixed!

Face ID is working on your iPhone and now you can impress your friends with this awesome feature. Before the people you know go red in the face, make sure you share this article on social media so they know what to do if Face ID is not working on their iPhone! Thanks for reading and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on Face ID in the comments section below.